


Knowledge Speaks, Wisdom Listens

by Kayleegee



Series: The Bodyguard Series [5]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, Post Season 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-04
Updated: 2015-11-04
Packaged: 2018-04-30 01:12:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5144846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kayleegee/pseuds/Kayleegee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He takes a big breath, before asking, “So, I’m going to ask. What are you going to do with this information?” </p><p>If she only knew.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Knowledge Speaks

“I’m on site,” she says into her radio as she gets out of her car.

“Wait for backup, Detective, that’s an order,” she hears over the radio, and she stops a moment, but sees an FBI agent dead on the front stoop. There’s no waiting. She clips her radio to her belt and and takes out her gun, clicking off the safety.

She winds her way through the safe house, sticking to the shadows as she sweeps through the house. She steps over bodies, and does her best to avoid the blood puddles beneath them. The back of the house opens into a kitchen and family room, with a large bay window. Through the window she can see the Hood and Bertinelli, fighting one another. She finds herself at the back kitchen door, and taking a deep breath as she sees the the Hood gain the upper hand. Bertinelli is on the ground and the Hood has his bow trained on her. 

“Freeze!” She yells, her gun trained on the Hood. She makes her way down the porch steps and across the grass, “Put it down.” The Vigilante starts lowers his bow, setting it on the ground. 

“Turn around, slowly,” she says, and she feels her heart pounding in her chest, and she can’t help but thinking to herself: this is a career-making moment. He’s turning, and McKenna shifts so that Bertinelli is still in her sights, but it’s too late. There’s quick movement from Bertinelli, a loud bang, a rush of blood to her ears, and she’s falling…

McKenna jolts awake, the free-falling feeling making her chest tighten. She’s breathing heavily, near tears. It takes a few moments to calm down and she traces her scar on her leg. She looks over at the alarm clock: 4:30am. She may as well get up. She’s not going to go back to sleep. 

Her entire body feels like one big bruise and she considers a hot bath, but isn’t quite sure she’ll be able to maneuver herself back out of the tub because she’s moving like she’s 99 years old. So, shower it is.

The last 24 hours replay through her mind as McKenna stands under the hot spray. The attack on the Nanotech conference had been brutal, masked men rappelling from the ceiling of the convention center, leaving a mass of casualties in their wake. At least 21 people are dead, including 12 security guards and 4 conference attendees. 5 people from Palmer Tech security are dead, gunned down trying to protect Felicity. 

McKenna knows it could have been worse, and her primary goal, getting Felicity to safety, was met, albeit with help from the vigilante and his gang. The vigilante, who’s calling himself the Green Arrow, and who probably is Oliver Queen. 

Having witnessed the Green Arrow swooping in to save the day and getting shot in his arm for his effort, a few hours later Oliver exhibited the same exact injury, prompting McKenna to question nearly everything she’s ever known about Oliver, and herself. How did she miss this?   
The dots are connecting. It makes sense now that the Hood wasn’t too concerned about the Vertigo epidemic in the Glades until Thea was facing drug charges...and Oliver drew the Count out by trying to buy drugs off him. And the Dodger case...he was apprehended by the Hood after stealing a jewel donated by the Queen family...that was right around the time Oliver had asked McKenna out…And then there’s Helena Bertinelli, who had connections to both Oliver and the Hood. McKenna shuts off the water more forcefully than necessary, anger bubbling up, and it throws her a bit off balance, and she catches herself with her injured hand. Pain radiates from it, and McKenna squeezes her eyes shut. This is not going to be a good day. 

Palmer Tech is a bevy of activity when McKenna gets there, and it’s not even 8 am. Gerry is a godsend, bringing both coffee and the update that Felicity will be released from the hospital this morning and that Mr. Queen said there was no need for McKenna to come to the hospital. Between Oliver and his bodyguard, Diggle, they will get her home. McKenna is secretly relieved. Before he leaves her office Gerry informs her that her meeting with Mr. Walker, the head of Palmer Tech security and Captain Lance will also include Mr. Steele, and will take place in his office at 9 am. 

McKenna arrives right at 9, not really in the mood for small talk, and she’s happy to find that nobody else is either. There are quick inquiries into her hand, and she waves them off, like it’s every day her hand gets stomped on and broken. 

Grant Walker, the head of Palmer Tech security, asks how Felicity is. McKenna shrugs, “I haven’t talked to her this morning.” 

Walter looks surprised, but says, “I talked to Oliver this morning, she’s doing well. She’ll be released this morning, rest for a week, and then back to work next Wednesday.” Walter chuckles, “That’s the doctor and Oliver’s timeframe for her, anyway. I’m sure we’ll see her before then.” 

Lance hands out file folders, with information about the attack. “Alright, we counted at least 30 masked men. 10 are in body bags, none in police custody, unfortunately.” 

“You weren’t able to apprehend any?” Grant Walker asks, surprised. 

Lance grimaces, “They carry cyanide on their person.” 

“How do you know this?” Walter asks.

“You’ve seen these guys before,” McKenna answers. How else would he know about the cyanide? There’s no way toxicology reports are ready from yesterday.

Lance reluctantly nods, “We’ve seen them before, yes, and we haven’t been able to take any in police custody. They’re well trained, and they would rather die than be taken in. They’re like ghosts.”

Grant looks thoroughly confused, “So these were the guys behind the pipe bomb at Kord Industries?” 

“No, they were not,” Lance says. “This was not related to the threats Kord and Palmer’s been getting.”

McKenna starts to itch with agitation. “So, basically, the scenarios that myself, Grant, the Convention Center staff, Kord Industries Security, all those scenarios we planned for, bombs, fringe protesters, these guys yesterday were a totally new entity with a whole different agenda.”

Lance nods in affirmation, looking a bit embarrassed, and there’s a collective exhale from everybody else. 

“I’m afraid to ask, because I think I know the answer,” Walter begins, “but what was their goal?” 

Lance’s eyes are trained on his notes. “We’re still combing through evidence, but one theory is that they were after gadgets in the exhibit hall.” 

Grant frowns, “But there was hardly anybody in the exhibit hall. They wouldn’t have needed that many guys at the time they attacked.”

“Most of their force seemed to be in the main hall during the keynote.” McKenna adds.

“I think the exhibit hall was a bonus for them, they’ve been hitting other technology-rich places,” Lance agrees, “I think they also wanted something in the main hall.”

“You mean someone,” Walter says. “By all accounts, they were laser focused on Felicity.”

Grant nods in agreement, “I’ve been looking at some of the footage that was taken, and Walter’s correct. They shot anybody that got in between them and Felicity. But why would she be a target?” 

Lance shrugs, “She’s the CEO of a billion dollar corporation. Ransom? In addition to stealing technology, they’ve been gathering other resources, including cash.”   
Walter shakes his head, “The company is still reeling from Ray Palmer’s explosion. We’re getting there, but we aren’t as cash flush as you’d believe.”

“They weren’t after the company’s money or Felicity’s money, for that matter,” McKenna says slowly, a headache slowly starting to form as the implications become clearer. “That’s not what’s most valuable about Felicity.” 

“What’s the most valuable thing about Felicity?” Lance asks.

Walter sighs, “Her knowledge.”

McKenna nods in agreement, “This is about information Felicity has that these people want.” 

“Any idea what that could be?” Grant asks.

“Felicity is the CEO of a corporation whose main focus is research and development. Any given day Felicity is briefed on any one of Palmer Tech’s major projects. She knows everything that’s going on here,” McKenna says. She starts thinking about options, and it seems like everyone is doing the same as they are silent.

Walter turns to Grant, “I want security doubled on this floor, as well as the floors below us. I want a comprehensive plan for how we are going to keep this building secure. Review our current security protocols for entering and exiting the building. I want recommendations tomorrow.” Grant nods and Walter turns to McKenna, “I want extra security on Felicity. Hire whomever you need to.” 

McKenna nods at Walter, about to reply in turn, when something occurs to her. “Captain Lance, what about the vigilantes?” 

Lance looks up, a confused look crossing his face. “What about ‘em?” He huffs out. 

“Well, it seems the masks were converging on Felicity, like they knew these Ghosts were after her,” McKenna says. “It was like all four of them were trying to get her and her alone out of the building.” 

“They rightfully guessed she was the target,” Walter puts in. “I’m not quite sure what the problem with that is, McKenna. By your own admission, they saved your life and Felicity’s.” 

“How did they know she was targeted? If they’d been reading the papers they’d have thought, like we all did, it was Burning Man wackos wanting to cause trouble at the conference, not some well-armed, well-trained ghosts.” McKenna looks over to Lance, looking like he’s swallowed a lemon. 

“I don’t know how they knew, McKenna,” Lance says, “But this isn’t the first time Felicity’s been saved by the Arrow. There was an incident here, like two years ago with Count Vertigo. There’s history.” 

“Isn’t the Arrow dead?” McKenna asks, “You talk like the Arrow and the Green Arrow are one in the same.” When Lance’s eyes meet hers, McKenna’s stomach drops. She’s seen the look in Lance’s eyes, many times, in interrogation rooms as a cop. The look of guilt in a suspect’s eyes. McKenna’s eyes widen a bit, and Lance shakes off the guilty look, widening his own eyes. In the span of five seconds, McKenna is sure she and Lance are thinking the same thing: That the other knows. 

Walter’s phone chirps with a reminder of his next meeting with Public Relations and Grant starts chattering to McKenna about sending some resumes her way so that she can hire extra security. McKenna distractedly nods her head, and then grabs her stuff as quickly as she can, and heads to her office, decidedly not looking at Lance. 

She dumps her stuff on her desk, and finds herself blinking back tears. Curse whoever thought it was a good idea to have offices with glass walls. She stares out the window, hoping no one comes through the door to find her almost crying. If it’s Gerry or Kerry, they’ll assume it’s some breakdown associated with almost dying yesterday and want to mother her to death. She can’t take that. 

There’s a shuffling at the door and McKenna sees in the reflection it’s Captain Lance. He comes in and shuts the door, looking through the glass walls into the hallway, as if he’s looking for any lurkers. 

“You knew who the Green Arrow is, you knew last year,” she says, quietly. Her stomach turns a bit, at the thought of Roy Harper, who confessed to being someone he wasn’t and got stabbed for his troubles. “You let that kid take the fall for him.” She turns away from Lance, anger boiling up. 

“It’s not that simple,” Lance begins again, “It’s complicated…”

McKenna whips around, interrupting Lance, “What’s complicated? The fact that Oliver Queen is the Green Arrow? Seems pretty clear to me.” Lance opens his mouth to reply, but it seems he has nothing to say, confirming what McKenna already knew. She suddenly feels so tired, and slumps onto her couch. Lance follows suit.

Both are silent for a moment before Lance asks quietly, “How’d you figure it out?” 

“The Green Arrow get hit by a bullet in his left arm. At the hospital, a nurse knocked into Oliver’s arm and he reacted,” McKenna says tiredly, “The way the Arrow talked to Felicity, her comment about both of them having nice asses…Everything about Oliver became really clear.”   
“Are you okay?” Lance asks.

McKenna laughs at that question, “No, I don’t think I’ll be using that word for a while.” Her vision is getting a little watery, so she closes her eyes.

“McKenna,” she hears Lance shifting on the couch next to her, “I understand how angry you are, because I had that same anger...I still do.” 

“You remember when we apprehended Helena Bertinelli? We interrogated her together?” McKenna opens her eyes and turns her head towards Lance.

“Yeah, yeah, I remember,” Lance says, looking a bit lost.

“I asked who the vigilante was, and she brought up Oliver. She told me that he uses people, he’d used her, he brought up Laurel and Sara…” McKenna says quietly.

“Yeah, I remember,” Lance bites out.

McKenna sighs, “At the time, I thought she was just avoiding the question, trying to make me doubt Oliver, and I shrugged it off because she was a psychopath. But now...she knew what she was talking about.” 

Lance doesn’t say anything, but instead reaches out and grasps McKenna’s hand. Clearly the father of two daughters.

“I feel so foolish. Oliver and I...I used to wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t gotten hurt, if what we were to each other would have turned into something...important. This entire time, the person I believed Oliver to be has been a lie. Helena was right, I was used.” It’s hard for McKenna to admit. 

“I’ve been there,” Lance says, “What can I do?” He lightly squeezes her hand. 

“Can you answer some questions?” McKenna asks. Lance squeezes his eyes shut a moment, and then nods, releasing McKenna’s hand. 

“So Oliver is the vigilante and obviously Felicity is on board,” McKenna begins, “What about the guy in the helmet?”

“John Diggle, Queen’s bodyguard,” Lance says.

McKenna nods, that makes sense. “What about Little Red Riding Hood?” 

Lance cracks a smile, “She goes by the codename Speedy,”

“That was Oliver’s nickname for his sister. Wait, are you saying…” McKenna says in disbelief. Thea Queen is Speedy?

“As I understand it, Queen’s not totally thrilled with his little sister running around under a hood, but it is what it is.” 

“Okay, then what about the woman in black?” McKenna asks.

Lance is silent a long moment, “The Black Canary, they call her.”

“Do you know who she is?” McKenna presses.

“The Black Canary, against my better judgement, is my daughter.” Lance answers. There’s a pain in his eyes as he answers her, and McKenna now understands why he isn’t so hung up on the vigilantes anymore.

“That’s why you’re not going after them? Because it’s Laurel under one of those masks?” 

Lance sighs heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. “For better or worse, they want to help Star City. It’s messy, it’s complicated, and I don’t know that I’ll ever forgive Queen for the pain and chaos he’s helped to rain down on this city. But this is where we are. We need their help.”

McKenna stands up from the couch and walks over to the window, wiping her eyes. In the reflection she sees Lance stand up and stick his hands in his pockets. 

He takes a big breath, before asking, “So, I’m going to ask. What are you going to do with this information?” 

If she only knew.


	2. Wisdom Listens

After a thoroughly unproductive day, McKenna finds herself at Felicity and Oliver’s loft. It’s late afternoon, and McKenna is hoping against all hope that Oliver isn’t here. She really doesn’t know if she can look at him right now without blowing up at him. 

Finding out her ex-boyfriend (and boss’s current boyfriend) is the Green Arrow has thrown McKenna quite the wrench. It’s pissing her off, actually.

For a few blissful weeks back in 2013 she’d been dating Oliver Queen and he’d been adorably awkward, citing 5 years on a deserted island for his lack of dating skills. But he had a kind heart and a quiet intensity that made up for the lack of openness and McKenna had always assumed that had they gone the distance, he would’ve opened up to her. It was just bad luck and Helena Bertinelli's gun that had ended it. 

Now though, McKenna knows differently. Even if they’d continued, Oliver would have kept himself closed off from any type of authentic intimacy. Really, it’d been a waste of time for McKenna. She had no future with Oliver, and he had known it, but he used her anyway. Just like Helena had said. 

Knocking on the door to the loft, McKenna tries to swallow down the anger. She has a carefully thought out plan. She will get in, give Felicity a status update, and get out. It’s a simple plan, with a contingency; she has a fake-a-text app programmed into her phone ready to go off in about 20 minutes, an excuse already bubbling in her head.

It’s Thea that opens the door to McKenna, “Oh, thank God!” 

“What? What’s wrong?” McKenna asks, putting her hand to her holster.

“Oh, sorry,” Thea says, waving McKenna off. “No emergency, really, I just need to get going and Ollie’s not home yet…”

McKenna breathes a sigh of relief as she hears Felicity call out, “I’m not going to die in the next 20 minutes. Just leave already!” 

So much for the in and out plan. “I can stay until Oliver gets home,” McKenna says, sainthood beckoning. 

“Thank you, McKenna.” Thea walks to the kitchen counter to pick up her bag, “How are you doing after yesterday?” 

“Oh, fine,” McKenna says, vague is probably better. 

“Good,” Thea returns, distracted. “Bye, Felicity, Bye McKenna.” She’s out the door like a shot.

“Sorry about her, she’s been cooped up all afternoon with the invalid,” Felicity says from the couch. McKenna shrugs off her coat and throws it onto an armchair before settling in it herself and taking a good look at Felicity. She looks better than last night, but very tired. “And before you ask, I’m fine. Yes, my head hurts, yes, I’m a bit tired, No, I don’t need any pain medication and no, I’ve been sleeping all day, I don’t need a nap.” 

“And yes, you are a bit irritable. Concussions do that.” McKenna immediately regrets the comment, smiling in hopes it’s taken as a joke. 

Felicity’s eyes narrow, a bit confused, but rather than address the comment she instead asks, “How’s your hand?” 

McKenna scrunches up her sweater sleeve to show the brace. “More of a hindrance than anything. Hardly hurts.”

“How did it happen? I can’t remember a lot from yesterday,” Felicity grumbles, gingerly touching the stitches in her head from where she hit the podium during the attack. 

“Combat boot smashed it. What’s the last thing you remember?” McKenna asks, a bit curious.

Felicity shrugs, “I vaguely remember the ride to the convention center...and according to my phone I was texting my friend Caitlin. But it’s fuzzy.”

“You shouldn’t be looking at any screens,” McKenna scolds.

“I know,” Felicity huffs out. “They’ve all been confiscated. If this brain injury doesn’t kill me, boredom probably will.”

McKenna rolls her eyes at the petulant child before her, “What would you have done if you were born a hundred years ago?” 

The stricken face Felicity looks at McKenna with makes McKenna laugh out loud, forgetting for a moment the massive secret..the massive green secret. 

Both women are quiet for a moment until Felicity breaks the silence. “I’m sure you’re going to wave me off, but seriously McKenna, thank you,” Felicity says. “I don’t remember, but by all accounts you saved my life, and...some others.” McKenna looks down a moment, knowing what Felicity means by saving others’ lives. McKenna had shot a guy who was about to put a bullet in the Green Arrow’s, Oliver’s, back. 

It’s an in. McKenna could very easily say, “You mean Oliver’s life?” It’s an in to confront Felicity about this dirty secret. And in her concussed state, McKenna is sure Felicity wouldn’t be able to lie, would be so dumbfounded by this admission of truth. But as angry McKenna is at Felicity, ultimately, this is Oliver’s secret and Felicity shouldn’t be the one confronted. So, McKenna ignores the opening, and instead does exactly what Felicity expects. “Seriously, Felicity, this is my job. And I’ve taken a lot worse hits than a broken hand.” 

“Oliver blames himself for what happened,” Felicity says in a quiet voice, and McKenna’s face must read confusion because Felicity qualifies, “with Helena. Shooting you. In the leg.” 

It takes every piece of restraint McKenna has within her not to retort back with a “duh.” But then McKenna remembers that Felicity is talking about Oliver, not the vigilante and McKenna is supposed to think they're two different people. 

“It was Helena’s gun,” McKenna says, voice neutral, “and Oliver wasn’t there.” 

“It’s Oliver. If you let him try, he could figure out a way to blame the start of the French Revolution on himself.” Felicity laughs, a bit sad. “Oliver looks at every side of a situation, and tries to make the best choice. His ability to look ahead at possible outcomes, it’s amazing. But his ex-girlfriend shooting his at the time current girlfriend? That was unimaginable. He thinks if he’d tried a little harder to help Helena, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.” 

McKenna looks away from Felicity and her hand instinctively goes for the scar under her pant leg. She doesn’t know what to say.

“Oliver still wishes he could have done more.” Felicity is silent a moment, like she knows she’s stepping into unwelcome territory. “The weeks after...you...after it happened, he was...it made him think that he couldn’t, shouldn’t have attachments. That he only ever got people hurt, and it was better being alone.” 

What a knucklehead. “He really thought that?” 

Felicity shrugs. “His capacity to love is massive, but his fear of that love being used against him? Infinite.” Felicity rubs her forehead a bit, careful of the stitches, and sinks further back into the couch.

“You don’t need to stay awake on my account,” McKenna says softly. 

“Good, because I don’t think I’m able to.” Felicity yawns, and tucks the blanket covering her a little closer. McKenna watches as Felicity quickly falls asleep, slow and steady breathes in and out. 

McKenna settles back into the armchair, her head falling back, a bit annoyed at how sagely Felicity can be, even concussed. She finds herself feeling kinda bad for Oliver. McKenna’s known for a while there’s a deep fear Oliver has that someone around him could get hurt, but it hasn’t occurred to her before now that he felt that type of pain when she had gotten shot by Helena. McKenna had been so wrapped up in her anger she hadn’t tried to understand Oliver’s perspective. 

Lance said Oliver was trying to help the city. And, if truth be told, Oliver has helped the city. Seeing what Oliver and the rest of the masks were able to do last night, the threats Star City has faced, will face, those are threats that the police force can’t handle alone. 

She knows what she’s going to do.

“Huh.” McKenna says outloud. She thinks she just had an epiphany. This may be what enlightenment feels like, and it’s a bit unsettling. She doesn’t feel any better.

It’s another 20 minutes before Oliver comes home, the door opening so quietly, McKenna nearly jumps out of her chair, reaching for her gun. It’ll be a while before she’ll be able to come down from high alert. 

Oliver wordlessly waves as he shrugs off his suit jacket and throws it on the staircase railing. He makes his way over to the back of the couch to check on Felicity. He looks at Felicity like she is the most precious thing on Earth. It’s disgusting. 

McKenna stands up and grabs her coat and Oliver leads her to the kitchen area. “Thanks for sticking around with her. My sister had some errands to run, for me, apparently. Campaign things.” He’s apologetic and McKenna can’t help but wave him off. 

“No worries. I’m glad Felicity is feeling better.” McKenna says in a low voice. She watches as Oliver pulls not one, not two, but three tablets out of the briefcase he’s placed on the kitchen island as well as two phones. Felicity will be thrilled. 

“Do you want to stay for dinner? I was thinking of whipping up some stir fry.” Oliver returns, and McKenna huffs out a laugh but then swallows it when she realizes Oliver is dead serious. 

“No, thank you.” This whole situation will never not be weird. “Tell Felicity I’ll check in tomorrow, brief her on some of the stuff that’s going on.” McKenna heads to the door and Oliver follows. He puts his hand to the door knob while McKenna shrugs on her coat, but doesn’t open it. 

“I know I said it last night, but I gotta say it again. Thank you. For everything.” He says it slowly, completely sincere. 

McKenna shrugs, “Like I said last night, it’s my job.” Oliver nods in assent, and opens the door for McKenna, but looking to the living room where Felicity is sleeping. 

Felicity’s words echo in McKenna’s head and she stops in the doorway. “Oliver,” she begins, not quite sure how to say it, “You have a big burden, taking care of this city.” McKenna nods her head towards the living room. “Let me take some of the load.” 

There’s a flash of recognition in Oliver’s face, but McKenna ignores it and says, “Goodnight, Oliver,” and walks down the hallway, determined not to look back. It’s not until the elevator doors open that she hears Oliver close the door. 

In the elevator McKenna takes a few deep breaths. Lance was right. This is complicated. And this is so much bigger than McKenna. This is more important than her hurt feelings. So she’ll keep Oliver’s secret, and she’ll keep Felicity safe when he can’t. McKenna’s lived through a shattered femur, a shattered career. She can live through this. 

But that doesn’t mean she won’t punch Oliver in the face if the opportunity ever presents itself.


End file.
